Christmas Eve early morning walk to check out the Tuscan sunrise, Fiesole

Intent on capturing a beautiful sunrise on Christmas Eve, my son Orlando and I got up early for a dog walk in the scenic Montebeni hills. The problem was that when the darkness finally lifted, it was raining and foggy, with zero sutnrise visibility. Still, that didn’t stop us venturing out at half past seven on a six kilometre stroll, soaking up the views and navigating the slippy but picturesque paths through the valleys, vineyards and recently pollarded olive groves. 🫒 🍷

Just wish to share some photos and video of our mini and muddy adventure.

The castle turret stands elegantly in front of the super fog! No sunshine this morning

Vincigliata Castle (Italian: Castello di Vincigliata) is a medieval castle which stands on a rocky hill to the east of Fiesole in the Italian region of Tuscany

Another desperate photo of Vincigliata Castle, which is inaccessible to the general public. Our neighbour knows one of the owners and I think she said that there are 8 different of them (from one family), don't quote me on this

Vincigliata Castle ~ difficult to see from our plebeian view from the road.

Immaculate vineyard opposite the castle

There is an archery range nearby and some of the dummies are very life like, at least from a distance.

A buffalo too 👀

Absolutely nobody was around, not a soul ~ until at least a good hour into the walk. Everyone who passed seemed more cheerful, unless I was projecting it. There seems to be such a good energy on Christmas Eve and I had perfected my Buongiorno e Buon Natale greeting by the time we got home.

Archery range livestock, ballistic dummies, complete with Christmas decorations. Deer, buffalo, rabbits, wild boars and even a dragon prop 🐲

The Fiesole Archery Company range. Must give this a go sometime, who is up for it?! Just fake animals all the way

Further down is a little building with a Catholic shrine. These are often found on the back lanes in Italy, and are called an Edicola Votiva (votive shrine/niche) or a Madonnella (little Madonna), a traditional street shrine with statues or images of saints, especially Mary, placed for public devotion, prayer, and protection, replacing ancient pagan lares.

An Edicola Votiva off our country path

Excuse my son's jovial and booming voice as we ascend the steps, we had both impressed ourselves getting up so early, especially after such a late night, and he was happy to be trekking and exploring Fiesole before heading back to Spain again in January.

Orlando's wayward tunes on the ascent to an Edicola Votiva, Montebeni. Not sure who the painting is of, but looks imperial or possibly monastic

We stopped to check out what looked like a stone circle, but also for a brief break. Flask needed next time

Just up the road was a small restaurant and outside were posters for this Winter Sun theatre engagement https://teatrosolare.it/soledinverno/ "...non-verbal theatre and puppet theatre, in the hope of bringing together adults and children, Italians and foreigners alike, around a shared cultural and social ritual held monthly in our new property." Reminds me of the Japanese flag 🇯🇵

Fiesole Fringe Theatre

These little feathery friends were also quite a spectacle this morning, and noisy too - whilst waiting on some breakfast scraps.

Cute and entertaining to watch and salute, before heading on our way

Property adjoining the castle displaying very prominent guest visits.

Residential wall next to the castle where famous visitors are listed on engraved plaques, such as a Prussian Principle and a Russian Duchess, amongst other celebrated elites 🙄

From stone plaques to standing stones, we were intrigued by these enormous dolmens, and whether they could have been moved to this location using modern heavy machinery such as cranes or multi-axle trucks. (Please correct me if you know more about the origins of these standing stones at the Frantoio Buonamici cold-pressed olive oil factory).

Megaliths in Fiesole, ancient, surely?!

It appears possible that they could be ancient stones with a religious or ritual purpose, possibly even weather-worn sculpture of an Etruscan or Roman leader, or perhaps just for structural use in an ancient build or settlement. Or, they were placed here latterly? The other large stones around the factory’s perimeter are possibly spoilation when repurposed to form the boundary, though that would indicate the demolition and loss of ancient history (as mentioned in my previous post), and I truly hope this interpretation is wrong.

Stones hold a quiet, powerful energy, especially those layered with crystal, like many around here. They were too wet to sit on today

More curious stones in the area, very big and cut into shape for a possible cyclopian wall construction. Intriguing drill mark (too deep for long-term water erosion). I would love to bring my metal detector to this area given its rich history. Fiesole, including the area of Montebeni, was first settled by the Etruscans, who established a fortified hilltop city and laid out early roads, walls, and religious sites. It was later absorbed by Rome in the 1st century BCE, when Roman occupation reshaped the area with new urban structures, villas, and infrastructure while building on the earlier Etruscan foundations.

The ancient Etruscan city of Faesulae (Fiesole) was conquered and incorporated into the Roman Empire, first around 283 BC, becoming a significant Roman town known for its school of augurs (divination experts) and later a colony for Sulla's veterans (Sulla was a Military officer and former Roman Dictator), though it retained its own identity and strategic importance for centuries before eventually being superseded by nearby Florence in the Middle Ages. They would have eaten the local mushrooms in copious amounts I can imagine, including one of Italy's big favourites...

I think this is a King Bolete mushroom, which we find on the roadside in Fiesole ~ hence we wouldn't eat this particular one due to pollution, but is known locally and throughout Italy as Porcini (plural) or Porcino (singular), meaning "piglets," and is scientifically called Boletus edulis, also known as the Cèpe (French) or Penny Bun (English)

Daisy dog was keen to take a closer look, with her nose, as per!

Porcini and delicious sliced and fried with garlic for brunch, or in a risotto, pastas, on pizza or as terrine

Gardeners' shed with incredible panorama over Central Florence in the distance.

Image was captured today in the blue hour of the morning ~ just after dawn

Think this is the equivalent of No Fly Tipping

A derelict local church, cordoned off and possibly unsafe ~ perhaps condemned, awaiting funding and foresight. I love the putti: a small angel playing the buisine (or clarion).

A homemade"Tre Pini" poster, meaning Three Pines. Ri-conoscenza means gratitude, thankfulness, or gratefulness.

TRE PINI, sadly has a gruesome history as it most notably refers to a locality which was the site of a World War II skirmish and a subsequent massacre of civilians by German troops in August 1944

"Riconoscenza" is an Italian word that means gratitude or thankfulness in English. Senza perdere la tenerezza means without losing tenderness ~ it celebrates the reopening of this facility

A few abandoned cars in a nearby off road car park on the edge of the countryside

Lots of people still drive these in and around Florence!

We got home, left the boots outside and put the kettle on.

Later on my husband and daughter arrived back in Florence after their UK trip, bags full of Christmas gifts and delicious treats, including fresh stollen from a Bonn bakery that my husband's parents had just returned from. Das gute Leben, indeed.

The Müller-Langhardt Coffee House is a traditional Bonn institution on the market, family-owned since 1913 and known for high-quality, homemade cakes, pastries and Baumkuchen, with an ambience that offers a mix of Art Nouveau and modern and has established itself as the first address for coffee lovers in Bonn's city centre 

Lastly, this house doorway wins gold for the most Christmassy cheesy decoration. 🏆 It is in Galluzzo, and made me smile yesterday when I went to pick up medication for my poorly senior cat at the vet's nearby.

 I love this time of year and all the tat that goes with it, except the plastic fantastic.

🔔🕯️🌿 Have a wonderful Christmas! 🔔🕯️🌿